You’ve been invited to check out one of your favorite retailers to 
secretly shop their store and evaluate the quality of service and 
product availability. The best part? You get to keep the items plus earn
 a paycheck as a mystery shopper.

If this sounds too good to be true, it very well could be. Many 
mystery shopper opportunities are scams. Here’s how to tell a real gig 
from this common con.

You receive an offer via email, text, or a social media network to 
become a secret shopper. In other cases, you may apply to a secret 
shopper job advertised online. Either way, the company offers you the 
job right away. You are so perfect for the position, they claim, you 
don't even need to interview.

In the most common version of this scam, the company mails you a 
check to cover your secret shopper purchases. You are asked to buy a few
 things and send back the remaining money. Unfortunately, the check is a
 fake. It will bounce, and you’ll be left footing the full bill and the 
bank fees associated with it

However, scammers are getting creative with secret shoppers cons. Be on the lookout for twists. For example, one victim told <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker">BBB Scam Tracker</a>
 about the following: “I saw a job posting on LinkedIn for a secret 
shopper position. I applied and shortly afterwards received a check in 
the mail. The check was for $2,470 and the business wanted me to go to 
local stores, purchase gift cards with $2,000, and keep the rest as pay.
 I was supposed to scratch off the security covers and send pictures.” 
In another version of this scam, con artists offer high paying 
assignments with one small catch: you need to pay a registration fee to 
participate.

How to avoid secret shopper scams

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579883951052.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BBBYou’ve been invited to check out one of your favorite retailers to 
secretly shop their store and evaluate the quality of service and 
product availability. The best part? You get to keep the items plus earn
 a paycheck as a mystery shopper.If this sounds too good to be true, it very well could be. Many 
mystery shopper opportunities are scams. Here’s how to tell a real gig 
from this common con.<h2>How mystery shopper scams work</h2>You receive an offer via email, text, or a social media network to 
become a secret shopper. In other cases, you may apply to a secret 
shopper job advertised online. Either way, the company offers you the 
job right away. You are so perfect for the position, they claim, you 
don't even need to interview.In the most common version of this scam, the company mails you a 
check to cover your secret shopper purchases. You are asked to buy a few
 things and send back the remaining money. Unfortunately, the check is a
 fake. It will bounce, and you’ll be left footing the full bill and the 
bank fees associated with itHowever, scammers are getting creative with secret shoppers cons. Be on the lookout for twists. For example, one victim told <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker">BBB Scam Tracker</a>
 about the following: “I saw a job posting on LinkedIn for a secret 
shopper position. I applied and shortly afterwards received a check in 
the mail. The check was for $2,470 and the business wanted me to go to 
local stores, purchase gift cards with $2,000, and keep the rest as pay.
 I was supposed to scratch off the security covers and send pictures.” 
In another version of this scam, con artists offer high paying 
assignments with one small catch: you need to pay a registration fee to 
participate.<h2>How to avoid secret shopper scams </h2><ul>
 <li>Research the secret shopper companies before applying.
 Before applying to a secret shopper job, make sure the company exists, 
has working contact information, and has good reviews and feedback from 
previous employees. Search online with the company name and the word 
“scam” to find other reports. </li><li>Check the Mystery Shopper Professionals Association database. Visit <a href="https://www.mspa-americas.org/">MSPA Americas</a>
 to search a database of MSPA members for legitimate mystery shopping 
providers. However, scammers do impersonate real companies and their job
 postings, so watch out for these other warning signs too. </li><li>Be wary of companies that hire on the spot. Real 
businesses will want to get to know you before they hire you. If a 
company reaches out to you out of the blue with a guaranteed position in
 their company, it’s probably a scam. </li><li>Beware of jobs that involve receiving and returning money. Legitimate
 companies don’t generally send money to new employees before work is 
done. They certainly don’t ask you to return funds that you’ve already 
been paid. </li><li>Never wire money or buy prepaid debit cards for strangers. Scammers
 love to ask people to wire money or send prepaid gift cards. Once 
you’ve wired money or sent the gift card information, there is no way to
 get your money back. Be very careful with <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/25956-bbb-tip-know-your-rights-and-responsibilities-when-it-comes-to-payment-types">these forms of payment</a>.</li>
 </ul>

BBB: Secret shopper job sounds cool, but it's really a scam

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — The first telephone call Jill Biden made from her black SUV after an unannounced meeting with her Ukrainian counterpart inside the embattled country was to her husband, President Joe Biden.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-jill-biden-migration-slovakia-d22b406bd735c1899a55ba656cbbc317">Biden and Olena Zelenska</a>, who had not been seen in public since President Vladimir Putin sent Russia’s military into her country nearly 11 weeks ago, had just spent about two hours together at a school in Uzhhorod in western Ukraine.

With her visit to the Ukraine war zone, the U.S. first lady was able to act as a second pair of eyes and ears for the president, who so far has been unable to visit the country himself.

“Sometimes the first lady is able to do things and get into places where the president can’t,” said Myra Gutin, author of “The President’s Partner: The First Lady in the Twentieth Century.”

Jill Biden wrapped up her four-day trip to Eastern Europe on Monday after meeting in Bratislava with Zuzana Caputova, Slovakia’s first female president. Her trip over the border on Sunday to meet with Zelenska and refugees from elsewhere in Ukraine was a highpoint of the visit.

Seated across from Caputova, Jill Biden said she told her husband in their phone call “just how much I saw the need to support the people of Ukraine” and about “the horrors and the brutality that the people I had met had experienced.”

Ever since Russia opened war on Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been open about wanting Biden to visit him in Kyiv, just like many other world leaders have done, including Canada’s Justin Trudeau on Sunday.

The closest President Biden has been to Ukraine&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-biden-migration-europe-european-union-069f04d92a20f125a487fbb9bc121bd9">was a stop in Rzeszow, Poland</a>, in late March after he went to Brussels to discuss the war with other world leaders. At the time, he publicly lamented that he was not allowed to cross the Polish border and go into western Ukraine.

“Part of my disappointment is that I can’t see it firsthand ... they will not let me,” Biden said, likely speaking about the ever-present security concerns associated with presidential travel that are heightened by any talk of sending him to an active war zone.

The White House said as recently as last week that while the president “would love to visit” Ukraine there were no plans for him to do so at this time.

Security is a concern for the first lady, too. But when she travels solo, she flies on a smaller plane than the president’s Air Force One and with a significantly smaller “package” of Secret Service agents, Air Force crew members, White House staff and, sometimes, journalists.

The difference in the “footprint” makes it easier for a first lady to act as an emissary for the president and then tell him about what she picks up during her travels.

Jill Biden had wanted to visit Ukraine in March but settled on a Mother’s Day weekend trip to help buck up Ukrainian moms who fled with their children to “frontline” countries like Slovakia that border Ukraine and have been taking them in.

During multiple stops in Romania and Slovakia, refugees shared their heartbreaking stories with the first lady — but also their gratitude for her visit as a high-profile symbol of U.S. support.

While first ladies lack the power or authority to send money or fighter jets, what they can do is show people that they — and the United States — care, Gutin said.

A first lady is a presidential adviser without comparison.

On a trip like this, “she will be able to say to the refuges, ‘I’m going to tell the president what I saw, I’m going to tell the president what you told me,’” Gutin, a professor at Rider University in New Jersey, said in an interview before the trip.

The first lady was so eager to tell the president about her meeting with Zelenska that he was the first person she called from her vehicle after that portion of the trip had concluded.

The trip gave Jill Biden something else, too: a chance to practice the “soft diplomacy” that first ladies engage in while representing the United States abroad.

Her first stop in Europe was a military base near the Black Sea in Romania to meet U.S. troops deployed there by the president in the run-up to the Russia-Ukraine war. She brought them 50 gallons of ketchup after learning that base supplies of the condiment had run low.

She had the belly of her plane packed with seven trunks of supplies for refugees, including blankets, playing cards, coloring books and crayons, T-shirts, gardenia-scented candles, toiletry kits and other items. The White House logo or the Bidens’ signatures were on everything.

As she interacted with displaced Ukrainians and the volunteers helping them, the first lady sometimes turned the person she was face to face with around and asked them to tell their story to the journalists in the room.

“Come here so the press can hear you, then they know what you’re doing,” she said Sunday while repositioning a local volunteer working in one of the tents at a processing facility at the Slovak border crossing in Vysne Nemecke.

Jill Biden sported a large Ukraine flag pin on her lapel after she returned to the Kosice airport from Ukraine. It was a gift from the head of Zelenska’s security detail after the U.S. first lady presented him with one of her souvenir coins.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652118741146.png" alt="Jill Biden wrapped up her four-day trip to Eastern Europe on Monday after meeting in Bratislava with Zuzana Caputova, Slovakia’s first female president.-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>Jill Biden wrapped up her four-day trip to Eastern Europe on Monday after meeting in Bratislava with Zuzana Caputova, Slovakia’s first female president.-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — The first telephone call Jill Biden made from her black SUV after an unannounced meeting with her Ukrainian counterpart inside the embattled country was to her husband, President Joe Biden.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-jill-biden-migration-slovakia-d22b406bd735c1899a55ba656cbbc317">Biden and Olena Zelenska</a>, who had not been seen in public since President Vladimir Putin sent Russia’s military into her country nearly 11 weeks ago, had just spent about two hours together at a school in Uzhhorod in western Ukraine.With her visit to the Ukraine war zone, the U.S. first lady was able to act as a second pair of eyes and ears for the president, who so far has been unable to visit the country himself.“Sometimes the first lady is able to do things and get into places where the president can’t,” said Myra Gutin, author of “The President’s Partner: The First Lady in the Twentieth Century.”Jill Biden wrapped up her four-day trip to Eastern Europe on Monday after meeting in Bratislava with Zuzana Caputova, Slovakia’s first female president. Her trip over the border on Sunday to meet with Zelenska and refugees from elsewhere in Ukraine was a highpoint of the visit.Seated across from Caputova, Jill Biden said she told her husband in their phone call “just how much I saw the need to support the people of Ukraine” and about “the horrors and the brutality that the people I had met had experienced.”Ever since Russia opened war on Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been open about wanting Biden to visit him in Kyiv, just like many other world leaders have done, including Canada’s Justin Trudeau on Sunday.The closest President Biden has been to Ukraine&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-biden-migration-europe-european-union-069f04d92a20f125a487fbb9bc121bd9">was a stop in Rzeszow, Poland</a>, in late March after he went to Brussels to discuss the war with other world leaders. At the time, he publicly lamented that he was not allowed to cross the Polish border and go into western Ukraine.“Part of my disappointment is that I can’t see it firsthand ... they will not let me,” Biden said, likely speaking about the ever-present security concerns associated with presidential travel that are heightened by any talk of sending him to an active war zone.The White House said as recently as last week that while the president “would love to visit” Ukraine there were no plans for him to do so at this time.Security is a concern for the first lady, too. But when she travels solo, she flies on a smaller plane than the president’s Air Force One and with a significantly smaller “package” of Secret Service agents, Air Force crew members, White House staff and, sometimes, journalists.The difference in the “footprint” makes it easier for a first lady to act as an emissary for the president and then tell him about what she picks up during her travels.Jill Biden had wanted to visit Ukraine in March but settled on a Mother’s Day weekend trip to help buck up Ukrainian moms who fled with their children to “frontline” countries like Slovakia that border Ukraine and have been taking them in.During multiple stops in Romania and Slovakia, refugees shared their heartbreaking stories with the first lady — but also their gratitude for her visit as a high-profile symbol of U.S. support.While first ladies lack the power or authority to send money or fighter jets, what they can do is show people that they — and the United States — care, Gutin said.A first lady is a presidential adviser without comparison.On a trip like this, “she will be able to say to the refuges, ‘I’m going to tell the president what I saw, I’m going to tell the president what you told me,’” Gutin, a professor at Rider University in New Jersey, said in an interview before the trip.The first lady was so eager to tell the president about her meeting with Zelenska that he was the first person she called from her vehicle after that portion of the trip had concluded.The trip gave Jill Biden something else, too: a chance to practice the “soft diplomacy” that first ladies engage in while representing the United States abroad.Her first stop in Europe was a military base near the Black Sea in Romania to meet U.S. troops deployed there by the president in the run-up to the Russia-Ukraine war. She brought them 50 gallons of ketchup after learning that base supplies of the condiment had run low.She had the belly of her plane packed with seven trunks of supplies for refugees, including blankets, playing cards, coloring books and crayons, T-shirts, gardenia-scented candles, toiletry kits and other items. The White House logo or the Bidens’ signatures were on everything.As she interacted with displaced Ukrainians and the volunteers helping them, the first lady sometimes turned the person she was face to face with around and asked them to tell their story to the journalists in the room.“Come here so the press can hear you, then they know what you’re doing,” she said Sunday while repositioning a local volunteer working in one of the tents at a processing facility at the Slovak border crossing in Vysne Nemecke.Soft diplomacy works in reverse, too.Jill Biden sported a large Ukraine flag pin on her lapel after she returned to the Kosice airport from Ukraine. It was a gift from the head of Zelenska’s security detail after the U.S. first lady presented him with one of her souvenir coins.

Jill Biden was president's eyes, ears on trip to Ukraine

HARVEY COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 2p.m. Monday in Harvey County.

A maintenance vehicle turned over on East First Street between Oliver and Woodlawn roads, according to a social media report from the Harvey Sheriff's Department.&nbsp; The driver was found, pinned inside the truck in critical condition.&nbsp; Crews worked diligently for just over an hour to free the patient, cutting away parts of the cab and using hydraulic spreaders and rams to gain access, according to Newton Fire and EMS.

Eagle Med air-lifted the patient to Wesley Medical Center.

First Street was closed between Oliver and Woodlawn for several hours as maintenance crews worked to get the vehicle upright and cleaning up spilled diesel fuel.

The sheriff's department did not release the driver's name.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652177437197.png" alt="Monday accident in Harvey County-photo Harvey County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Monday accident in Harvey County-photo Harvey County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>HARVEY COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 2p.m. Monday in Harvey County.A maintenance vehicle turned over on East First Street between Oliver and Woodlawn roads, according to a social media report from the Harvey Sheriff's Department.&nbsp; The driver was found, pinned inside the truck in critical condition.&nbsp; Crews worked diligently for just over an hour to free the patient, cutting away parts of the cab and using hydraulic spreaders and rams to gain access, according to Newton Fire and EMS.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652177722905.png" alt="Photos courtesy Newton Fire and EMS" />
 <figcaption>Photos courtesy Newton Fire and EMS</figcaption>
 </figure>Eagle Med air-lifted the patient to Wesley Medical Center.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652177909509.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>First Street was closed between Oliver and Woodlawn for several hours as maintenance crews worked to get the vehicle upright and cleaning up spilled diesel fuel.The sheriff's department did not release the driver's name.

Kansas man air-lifted to hospital after truck overturns

EVANSVILLE, Indiana (AP) –A former Alabama jail official on the run with a murder suspect she was accused of helping escape shot and killed herself Monday as authorities caught up with the pair after more than a week of searching, officials said. The man she fled with surrendered.

The death of Vicky White, 56, only deepened the mystery of why a respected jail official would leave everything to help free Casey White, 38, a hulking inmate with a violent and frightening history.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alabama-escaped-inmate-missing-correctional-officer-6a15511d74faee827af19e0fae78fc6c">two fugitives</a>&nbsp;were caught — following a manhunt through three states — in Evansville, Indiana, when U.S. Marshals chasing them crashed into their vehicle, authorities said. Casey White gave himself up and Vicky White shot herself and was taken to a hospital, authorities said. Vanderburgh County Coroner Steve Lockyear said she died from her injuries.

Before Vicky White’s death, authorities celebrated the fugitives’ apprehension.

“We got a dangerous man off the street today. He is never going to see the light of day again. That is a good thing, for not just our community. That’s a good thing for our country,” Lauderdale County Sheriff Rick Singleton of Alabama said.

The manhunt began April 29 when Vicky White, the assistant director of corrections for the jail in Lauderdale County, allegedly helped engineer the escape of Casey White, who was awaiting trial in a capital murder case. Vicky White had told co-workers she was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alabama-54e8920ec04985ffaf4e9d5d75c50e90">taking the inmate from the jail</a>&nbsp;for a mental health evaluation at the courthouse, but the two, who are not related, instead fled the area.

The car they took off in was later found abandoned in Tennessee, but there was no trace of the pair until U.S. Marshals received a tip Sunday that surveillance photos from an Evansville car wash showed a man who closely resembled Casey White exiting a 2006 Ford F-150 pickup truck, the Marshals Service said. White stands 6 feet, 9 inches (2.06 meters) tall and weighs about 260 pounds (118 kilograms).

On Monday, officials learned that the pair was spotted near the sheriff’s office, said Vanderburgh County Sheriff Dave Wedding in Indiana. As officers arrived, the pair fled in a vehicle and led police on a pursuit, he said. U.S. Marshals collided with them “to try to end the pursuit,” he said. Casey White was injured, not too seriously, in the crash and Vicky White then shot herself, causing “very serious” injuries, he said.

“We’re lucky that no law enforcement was injured, no innocent civilians were injured, the pursuit was short in nature and we have both people in custody,” Wedding said.

Casey White was serving a 75-year prison sentence for attempted murder and other charges at the time of his escape. He was awaiting trial in the stabbing of a 58-year-old woman during a burglary in 2015. If convicted, he could face the death penalty.

Federal and local law enforcement officials have also learned Casey White threatened to kill his former girlfriend and his sister in 2015 and said “that he wanted police to kill him,” the Marshals Service said.

A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alabama-florence-treatment-of-prisoners-69d5605872860d12e415e2bbe96092d1">warrant was issued on May 2</a>&nbsp;for Vicky Sue White charging her with permitting or facilitating escape in the first degree.

Before her death was announced, the Alabama sheriff said he hoped to get answers from his once trusted jail employee about her actions but acknowledged those answers might not come. “I had every bit of trust in Vicky White. She has been an exemplary employee. What in the world provoked her, prompted her to pull a stunt like this? I don’t know. I don’t know if we’ll ever know,” Singleton said.

Vicky White’s family members and co-workers said they were stunned by her involvement. Singleton said it appeared the plan had been in the works for some time. Jail inmates said the two had a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alabama-florence-84a97f256406f02e8c2ee1f6a46f8c0d">special relationship</a>&nbsp;and she gave Casey White better treatment than other inmates.

In the past several months, she bought a rifle and a shotgun and also was known to have a handgun, U.S. Marshal Marty Keely said.

She sold her house for about half of market value and bought a 2007 orange Ford Edge that she stashed at a shopping center without license plates.

“This escape was obviously well-planned and calculated. A lot of preparation went into this. They had plenty of resources, had cash, had vehicles,” Singleton said.

The escape happened on what Vicky White said was going to be her last day at work. She told co-workers that Casey White had a mental health evaluation at the courthouse, but none was scheduled. She did not have a second officer accompany them, which was against jail policy.

Video showed the pair went from the jail to the shopping center, where they picked up the Ford and left, Singleton said. Their flight was not discovered for much of the day.

Investigators believe the pickup truck Casey White had at the car wash was stolen in Tennessee and then driven about 175 miles to Evansville, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press. The official could not discuss details of the investigation publicly and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.

EVANSVILLE, Indiana (AP) –Escaped inmate Casey White and former jail official Vicky White were taken into custody Monday in Indiana, according to an Alabama sheriff.

Lauderdale County Sheriff Rick Singleton said they two fugitives were caught near Evansville, Indiana, after a chase with U.S. Marshals. Marshals were pursuing a pickup driven by Casey White when the truck wrecked and he surrendered, the sheriff said. Vicky White was taken to a hospital.

“Casey White and Vicky White are in custody,” Singleton said. “This has ended a very long and stressful and challenging week and a half. It ended the way that we knew it would. They are in custody.”

The two had been the target of a nationwide manhunt since April 29 when Vicky White, the assistant director of corrections for the jail in Lauderdale County, helped engineer the escape of Casey White, who was awaiting trial in a capital murder case. Vicky White had told co-workers she was taking the inmate from the jail for a mental health evaluation at the courthouse, but the two instead fled the area.

The truck was found Monday in Evansville, Indiana, after U.S. Marshals received a tip Sunday that the 2006 Ford F-150 pickup was seen at a car wash in the town, the Marshals Service said. Surveillance photos showed a man who closely resembles Casey White exiting the vehicle at the car wash, officials said.

Investigators believe the pickup truck was stolen in Tennessee and then driven about 175 miles to Evansville, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press. The official could not discuss details of the investigation publicly and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.

A warrant was issued on May 2 for Vicky Sue White charging her with permitting or facilitating escape in the first degree.

Federal and local law enforcement officials have also learned Casey White threatened to kill his former girlfriend and his sister in 2015 and said, “that he wanted police to kill him,” the Marshals Service said. Investigators said they have been in contact with them about the threats and are taking measures to ensure their safety.

Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652134811046.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>EVANSVILLE, Indiana (AP) –A former Alabama jail official on the run with a murder suspect she was accused of helping escape shot and killed herself Monday as authorities caught up with the pair after more than a week of searching, officials said. The man she fled with surrendered.The death of Vicky White, 56, only deepened the mystery of why a respected jail official would leave everything to help free Casey White, 38, a hulking inmate with a violent and frightening history.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alabama-escaped-inmate-missing-correctional-officer-6a15511d74faee827af19e0fae78fc6c">two fugitives</a>&nbsp;were caught — following a manhunt through three states — in Evansville, Indiana, when U.S. Marshals chasing them crashed into their vehicle, authorities said. Casey White gave himself up and Vicky White shot herself and was taken to a hospital, authorities said. Vanderburgh County Coroner Steve Lockyear said she died from her injuries.Before Vicky White’s death, authorities celebrated the fugitives’ apprehension.“We got a dangerous man off the street today. He is never going to see the light of day again. That is a good thing, for not just our community. That’s a good thing for our country,” Lauderdale County Sheriff Rick Singleton of Alabama said.The manhunt began April 29 when Vicky White, the assistant director of corrections for the jail in Lauderdale County, allegedly helped engineer the escape of Casey White, who was awaiting trial in a capital murder case. Vicky White had told co-workers she was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alabama-54e8920ec04985ffaf4e9d5d75c50e90">taking the inmate from the jail</a>&nbsp;for a mental health evaluation at the courthouse, but the two, who are not related, instead fled the area.The car they took off in was later found abandoned in Tennessee, but there was no trace of the pair until U.S. Marshals received a tip Sunday that surveillance photos from an Evansville car wash showed a man who closely resembled Casey White exiting a 2006 Ford F-150 pickup truck, the Marshals Service said. White stands 6 feet, 9 inches (2.06 meters) tall and weighs about 260 pounds (118 kilograms).On Monday, officials learned that the pair was spotted near the sheriff’s office, said Vanderburgh County Sheriff Dave Wedding in Indiana. As officers arrived, the pair fled in a vehicle and led police on a pursuit, he said. U.S. Marshals collided with them “to try to end the pursuit,” he said. Casey White was injured, not too seriously, in the crash and Vicky White then shot herself, causing “very serious” injuries, he said.“We’re lucky that no law enforcement was injured, no innocent civilians were injured, the pursuit was short in nature and we have both people in custody,” Wedding said.Casey White was serving a 75-year prison sentence for attempted murder and other charges at the time of his escape. He was awaiting trial in the stabbing of a 58-year-old woman during a burglary in 2015. If convicted, he could face the death penalty.Federal and local law enforcement officials have also learned Casey White threatened to kill his former girlfriend and his sister in 2015 and said “that he wanted police to kill him,” the Marshals Service said.A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alabama-florence-treatment-of-prisoners-69d5605872860d12e415e2bbe96092d1">warrant was issued on May 2</a>&nbsp;for Vicky Sue White charging her with permitting or facilitating escape in the first degree.Before her death was announced, the Alabama sheriff said he hoped to get answers from his once trusted jail employee about her actions but acknowledged those answers might not come. “I had every bit of trust in Vicky White. She has been an exemplary employee. What in the world provoked her, prompted her to pull a stunt like this? I don’t know. I don’t know if we’ll ever know,” Singleton said.Vicky White’s family members and co-workers said they were stunned by her involvement. Singleton said it appeared the plan had been in the works for some time. Jail inmates said the two had a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alabama-florence-84a97f256406f02e8c2ee1f6a46f8c0d">special relationship</a>&nbsp;and she gave Casey White better treatment than other inmates.In the past several months, she bought a rifle and a shotgun and also was known to have a handgun, U.S. Marshal Marty Keely said.She sold her house for about half of market value and bought a 2007 orange Ford Edge that she stashed at a shopping center without license plates.“This escape was obviously well-planned and calculated. A lot of preparation went into this. They had plenty of resources, had cash, had vehicles,” Singleton said.The escape happened on what Vicky White said was going to be her last day at work. She told co-workers that Casey White had a mental health evaluation at the courthouse, but none was scheduled. She did not have a second officer accompany them, which was against jail policy.Video showed the pair went from the jail to the shopping center, where they picked up the Ford and left, Singleton said. Their flight was not discovered for much of the day.Investigators believe the pickup truck Casey White had at the car wash was stolen in Tennessee and then driven about 175 miles to Evansville, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press. The official could not discuss details of the investigation publicly and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.--------EVANSVILLE, Indiana (AP) –Escaped inmate Casey White and former jail official Vicky White were taken into custody Monday in Indiana, according to an Alabama sheriff.Lauderdale County Sheriff Rick Singleton said they two fugitives were caught near Evansville, Indiana, after a chase with U.S. Marshals. Marshals were pursuing a pickup driven by Casey White when the truck wrecked and he surrendered, the sheriff said. Vicky White was taken to a hospital.“Casey White and Vicky White are in custody,” Singleton said. “This has ended a very long and stressful and challenging week and a half. It ended the way that we knew it would. They are in custody.”The two had been the target of a nationwide manhunt since April 29 when Vicky White, the assistant director of corrections for the jail in Lauderdale County, helped engineer the escape of Casey White, who was awaiting trial in a capital murder case. Vicky White had told co-workers she was taking the inmate from the jail for a mental health evaluation at the courthouse, but the two instead fled the area.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652134478478.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The truck was found Monday in Evansville, Indiana, after U.S. Marshals received a tip Sunday that the 2006 Ford F-150 pickup was seen at a car wash in the town, the Marshals Service said. Surveillance photos showed a man who closely resembles Casey White exiting the vehicle at the car wash, officials said.Investigators believe the pickup truck was stolen in Tennessee and then driven about 175 miles to Evansville, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press. The official could not discuss details of the investigation publicly and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.A warrant was issued on May 2 for Vicky Sue White charging her with permitting or facilitating escape in the first degree.Federal and local law enforcement officials have also learned Casey White threatened to kill his former girlfriend and his sister in 2015 and said, “that he wanted police to kill him,” the Marshals Service said. Investigators said they have been in contact with them about the threats and are taking measures to ensure their safety.Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

Update: Fugitive inmate captured, ex-jail officer dead

PRATT COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man for alleged child sex crimes.

Following an investigation into allegations that a child had been sexually assaulted,&nbsp; police arrested 62-year-old Larry  Bereis, according to a media release from police.

Bereis is currently being held on a $500,000 bond on requested charges of sexual assault of a child &lt; 14 years of age.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652105332811.png" alt="Beireis is being held on a $500,000 bond-photo Pratt Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Beireis is being held on a $500,000 bond-photo Pratt Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>PRATT COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man for alleged child sex crimes.Following an investigation into allegations that a child had been sexually assaulted,&nbsp; police arrested 62-year-old Larry Bereis, according to a media release from police.Bereis is currently being held on a $500,000 bond on requested charges of sexual assault of a child &lt; 14 years of age.

Kansas man held on $500K bond for alleged child sex crimes

OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man on drug charges after a weekend arrest.

Just before 1:30a.m. Saturday, a sheriff’s deputy attempted to conduct a traffic stop on an ATV in the 100 block of North 5th Street in Quenemo, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.

 The driver of the ATV, later identified as 39-year-old Richard W. Traver, Jr. 39, Quenemo,&nbsp; stopped, then fled on foot. After a brief foot pursuit deputies apprehended him.

Deputies then transported Traver to the Osage County Jail Facility on requested charges of&nbsp; felony interference with a law enforcement officer, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, and a felony arrest warrant.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652016356057.png" alt="Traver photo Osage Co." />
 <figcaption>Traver photo Osage Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man on drug charges after a weekend arrest.Just before 1:30a.m. Saturday, a sheriff’s deputy attempted to conduct a traffic stop on an ATV in the 100 block of North 5th Street in Quenemo, according to Sheriff Chris Wells. The driver of the ATV, later identified as 39-year-old Richard W. Traver, Jr. 39, Quenemo,&nbsp; stopped, then fled on foot. After a brief foot pursuit deputies apprehended him.Deputies then transported Traver to the Osage County Jail Facility on requested charges of&nbsp; felony interference with a law enforcement officer, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, and a felony arrest warrant.

Kan. man accused of drug crimes after traffic stop of ATV

RENO COUNTY — A Kansas felon with a history of violent crime has been charged in a rape and kidnapping case involving a teen runaway.

&nbsp;Tyrone E. Carter, 51, has been charged with rape, aggravated indecent liberties with a child older than 14 and younger than 16 and aggravated kidnapping, according to the Reno County District Attorney.

The complaint alleges that Carter had sex with the teen without her consent and while she was under the influence of a substance and that he held the victim against her will.

She told the court that Carter raped her twice, then drove her to Newton, where she was able to walk away and get help.

Because some of the details of the case are not yet clear, the crime has been charged with several potential alternatives, depending upon what set of facts the forensic evidence, once it's processed, will support.

Carter has over twenty convictions that include theft, forgery, aggravated battery, robbery, aggravated failure to appear and for drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1651258961364.png" alt="Carter has over twenty convictions that include theft, forgery, aggravated battery, robbery, aggravated failure to appear and for drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.-photo KDOC" />
 <figcaption>Carter has over twenty convictions that include theft, forgery, aggravated battery, robbery, aggravated failure to appear and for drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.-photo KDOC</figcaption>
 </figure>RENO COUNTY — A Kansas felon with a history of violent crime has been charged in a rape and kidnapping case involving a teen runaway.&nbsp;Tyrone E. Carter, 51, has been charged with rape, aggravated indecent liberties with a child older than 14 and younger than 16 and aggravated kidnapping, according to the Reno County District Attorney.The complaint alleges that Carter had sex with the teen without her consent and while she was under the influence of a substance and that he held the victim against her will.She told the court that Carter raped her twice, then drove her to Newton, where she was able to walk away and get help.Because some of the details of the case are not yet clear, the crime has been charged with several potential alternatives, depending upon what set of facts the forensic evidence, once it's processed, will support.Carter has over twenty convictions that include theft, forgery, aggravated battery, robbery, aggravated failure to appear and for drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections

Kan. career criminal charged with sex crimes against runaway 

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden announced Monday that 20 internet companies have agreed to provide discounted service to people with low incomes, a program that could effectively make tens of millions of households eligible for free service through an already existing federal subsidy.

(Click below to watch the President's comments)

<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/05/09/fact-sheet-president-biden-and-vice-president-harris-reduce-high-speed-internet-costs-for-millions-of-americans/">Click here&nbsp;</a>to read details on the program from the White House

“High speed internet is not a luxury any longer. It’s a necessity,” Biden said at a sun-drenched rose garden event with representatives from participating companies, as well as members of Congress.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-congress-infrastructure-bill-signing-b5b8cca843133de060778f049861b144">The $1 trillion infrastructure package</a>&nbsp;passed by Congress last year included $14.2 billion funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program, which provides $30 monthly subsidies ($75 in tribal areas) on internet service for millions of lower-income households.

With the new commitment from the internet providers, some 48 million households will be eligible for $30 monthly plans for 100 megabits per second, or higher speed, service — making internet service fully paid for with government assistance if they sign up with one of the providers participating in the program.

Biden noted that families of four earning about $55,000 annually — or those including someone eligible for Medicaid — will get a $30 monthly credit, meaning about 40 percent of Americans will qualify.

“This is a case where big business stepped up. We’re trying to get others to do the same thing,” Biden told the crowd to sustained applause. “It’s going to change peoples’ lives.”

“It might be a game-changer,” said Marty Newell, coordinator for Rural Broadband Policy at the Center for Rural Strategies in Whitesburg, Kentucky, where he said slow internet has plagued residents and businesses alike.

Newell said he wanted to see more about what the program will mean going forward, but that his main question is — given that increased broadband access has generally been a bipartisan issue in Congress -- “What took them so long?”

Biden, during his White House run and the push for the infrastructure bill, made expanding high-speed internet access in rural and low-income areas a priority. He has repeatedly spoken out about low-income families that struggled finding reliable Wi-Fi, so their children could take part in remote schooling and complete homework assignments early in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">the coronavirus pandemic,</a>&nbsp;including, he said Monday, families driving to McDonald’s parking lots to access wireless internet inside the restaurant.

The 20 internet companies that have agreed to lower their rates for eligible consumers provide service in areas where 80% of the U.S. population, including 50% of the rural population, live, the president said. Participating companies that offer service on tribal lands are providing $75 rates in those areas, the equivalent of the federal government subsidy in those areas.

Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris also met Monday with telecom executives, members of Congress and others to spotlight the effort to improve access to high-speed internet for low-income households. The president said a top priority going forward will be increasing competition among internet providers in many parts of the country, noting that millions of Americans live in areas with just one provider and currently pay higher prices because of it.

The participating providers are Allo Communications, AltaFiber (and Hawaiian Telecom), Altice USA (Optimum and Suddenlink), Astound, AT&amp;T, Breezeline, Comcast, Comporium, Frontier, IdeaTek, Cox Communications, Jackson Energy Authority, MediaCom, MLGC, Spectrum (Charter Communications), Starry, Verizon (Fios only), Vermont Telephone Co., Vexus Fiber and Wow! Internet, Cable, and TV.

American households are eligible for subsidies through the Affordable Connectivity Program if their income is at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, or if a member of their family participates in one of several programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA) and Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit.

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — The Biden administration announced on Monday that 20 internet companies have agreed to provide discounted service to low-income Americans, a program that could effectively make tens of millions of households eligible for free service through an already existing federal subsidy.

<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/05/09/fact-sheet-president-biden-and-vice-president-harris-reduce-high-speed-internet-costs-for-millions-of-americans/">Click here </a>to read details from the White House

With the new commitment from the internet providers, some 48 million households will be eligible for $30 monthly plans for 100 megabits per second, or higher speed, service — making internet service fully paid for with the government subsidy if they sign up with one of the providers participating in the program.

Biden, during his White House run and the push for the infrastructure bill, made expanding high-speed internet access in rural and low-income areas a priority. He has repeatedly spoken out about low-income families that struggled finding reliable wi-fi, so their children could take part in remote schooling and complete homework assignments early in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">the coronavirus pandemic</a>.

“If we didn’t know it before, we know now: High-speed internet is essential,” the Democratic president said during a White House event last month honoring&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-education-jill-kurt-russell-ba1b6ecc47fc3046b17f3b564bbe45ef">the National Teacher of the Year</a>.

The 20 internet companies that have agreed to lower their rates for eligible consumers provide service in areas where 80% of the U.S. population, including 50% of the rural population, live, according to the White House. Participating companies that offer service on tribal lands are providing $75 rates in those areas, the equivalent of the federal government subsidy in those areas.

Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday were set to meet with telecom executives, members of Congress and others to spotlight the effort to improve access to high-speed internet for low-income households.

The providers are Allo Communications , AltaFiber (and Hawaiian Telecom), Altice USA (Optimum and Suddenlink), Astound, AT&amp;T, Breezeline, Comcast, Comporium, Frontier, IdeaTek, Cox Communications, Jackson Energy Authority, MediaCom, MLGC, Spectrum (Charter Communications), Starry, Verizon (Fios only), Vermont Telephone Co., Vexus Fiber and Wow! Internet, Cable, and TV.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden announced Monday that 20 internet companies have agreed to provide discounted service to people with low incomes, a program that could effectively make tens of millions of households eligible for free service through an already existing federal subsidy.(Click below to watch the President's comments)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F725527678805286%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=610" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div><a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/05/09/fact-sheet-president-biden-and-vice-president-harris-reduce-high-speed-internet-costs-for-millions-of-americans/">Click here&nbsp;</a>to read details on the program from the White House“High speed internet is not a luxury any longer. It’s a necessity,” Biden said at a sun-drenched rose garden event with representatives from participating companies, as well as members of Congress.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-congress-infrastructure-bill-signing-b5b8cca843133de060778f049861b144">The $1 trillion infrastructure package</a>&nbsp;passed by Congress last year included $14.2 billion funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program, which provides $30 monthly subsidies ($75 in tribal areas) on internet service for millions of lower-income households.With the new commitment from the internet providers, some 48 million households will be eligible for $30 monthly plans for 100 megabits per second, or higher speed, service — making internet service fully paid for with government assistance if they sign up with one of the providers participating in the program.Biden noted that families of four earning about $55,000 annually — or those including someone eligible for Medicaid — will get a $30 monthly credit, meaning about 40 percent of Americans will qualify.“This is a case where big business stepped up. We’re trying to get others to do the same thing,” Biden told the crowd to sustained applause. “It’s going to change peoples’ lives.”Advocates were cautiously optimistic.“It might be a game-changer,” said Marty Newell, coordinator for Rural Broadband Policy at the Center for Rural Strategies in Whitesburg, Kentucky, where he said slow internet has plagued residents and businesses alike.Newell said he wanted to see more about what the program will mean going forward, but that his main question is — given that increased broadband access has generally been a bipartisan issue in Congress -- “What took them so long?”Biden, during his White House run and the push for the infrastructure bill, made expanding high-speed internet access in rural and low-income areas a priority. He has repeatedly spoken out about low-income families that struggled finding reliable Wi-Fi, so their children could take part in remote schooling and complete homework assignments early in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">the coronavirus pandemic,</a>&nbsp;including, he said Monday, families driving to McDonald’s parking lots to access wireless internet inside the restaurant.The 20 internet companies that have agreed to lower their rates for eligible consumers provide service in areas where 80% of the U.S. population, including 50% of the rural population, live, the president said. Participating companies that offer service on tribal lands are providing $75 rates in those areas, the equivalent of the federal government subsidy in those areas.Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris also met Monday with telecom executives, members of Congress and others to spotlight the effort to improve access to high-speed internet for low-income households. The president said a top priority going forward will be increasing competition among internet providers in many parts of the country, noting that millions of Americans live in areas with just one provider and currently pay higher prices because of it.The participating providers are Allo Communications, AltaFiber (and Hawaiian Telecom), Altice USA (Optimum and Suddenlink), Astound, AT&amp;T, Breezeline, Comcast, Comporium, Frontier, IdeaTek, Cox Communications, Jackson Energy Authority, MediaCom, MLGC, Spectrum (Charter Communications), Starry, Verizon (Fios only), Vermont Telephone Co., Vexus Fiber and Wow! Internet, Cable, and TV.American households are eligible for subsidies through the Affordable Connectivity Program if their income is at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, or if a member of their family participates in one of several programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA) and Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit.-------WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — The Biden administration announced on Monday that 20 internet companies have agreed to provide discounted service to low-income Americans, a program that could effectively make tens of millions of households eligible for free service through an already existing federal subsidy.<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/05/09/fact-sheet-president-biden-and-vice-president-harris-reduce-high-speed-internet-costs-for-millions-of-americans/">Click here </a>to read details from the White House<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-congress-infrastructure-bill-signing-b5b8cca843133de060778f049861b144">The $1 trillion infrastructure package</a>&nbsp;passed by Congress last year included $14.2 billion funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program, which provides $30 monthly subsidies ($75 in tribal areas) on internet service for millions of lower-income households.With the new commitment from the internet providers, some 48 million households will be eligible for $30 monthly plans for 100 megabits per second, or higher speed, service — making internet service fully paid for with the government subsidy if they sign up with one of the providers participating in the program.Biden, during his White House run and the push for the infrastructure bill, made expanding high-speed internet access in rural and low-income areas a priority. He has repeatedly spoken out about low-income families that struggled finding reliable wi-fi, so their children could take part in remote schooling and complete homework assignments early in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">the coronavirus pandemic</a>.“If we didn’t know it before, we know now: High-speed internet is essential,” the Democratic president said during a White House event last month honoring&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-education-jill-kurt-russell-ba1b6ecc47fc3046b17f3b564bbe45ef">the National Teacher of the Year</a>.The 20 internet companies that have agreed to lower their rates for eligible consumers provide service in areas where 80% of the U.S. population, including 50% of the rural population, live, according to the White House. Participating companies that offer service on tribal lands are providing $75 rates in those areas, the equivalent of the federal government subsidy in those areas.Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday were set to meet with telecom executives, members of Congress and others to spotlight the effort to improve access to high-speed internet for low-income households.The providers are Allo Communications , AltaFiber (and Hawaiian Telecom), Altice USA (Optimum and Suddenlink), Astound, AT&amp;T, Breezeline, Comcast, Comporium, Frontier, IdeaTek, Cox Communications, Jackson Energy Authority, MediaCom, MLGC, Spectrum (Charter Communications), Starry, Verizon (Fios only), Vermont Telephone Co., Vexus Fiber and Wow! Internet, Cable, and TV.American households are eligible for subsidies through the Affordable Connectivity Program if their income is at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, or if a member of their family participates in one of several programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA) and Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit.

🎥 New program offers discounted internet service for millions

By BRENT MARTIN <a href="https://stjosephpost.com">St. Joseph Post</a>

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has had wide-ranging impacts on
the world as a whole and now threatens global food security.

Missouri U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt says the full impact of the war
on food supply is just now beginning to emerge.

“There’s a growing awareness of how much impact this could
have, not just in Ukraine or in Europe, but in Africa,” Bond says in an
interview with KFEQ. “Ukraine and Russia combined produce about 25% of all the
wheat exports in the world.”

Ukraine produces a large portion of the food stuffs for Europe
and Africa. In addition to wheat, Ukraine produces more than 20% of the world’s
corn. It produces nearly all the sunflower oil. Blunt says Europe and Africa
are facing possible food shortages due to the war in Ukraine. Blunt says Africa
relies on the raw grain coming out of Ukraine to produce its food.

Russia’s war on Ukraine has kept Ukrainian farmers out of the
field and has blocked the export of crops in the grain bins. Also, farm
supplies on which the United States relies have been held up by the war.

“So much of the fertilizer that comes out of Russia, and some
of it comes out of Ukraine, and we’re not seeing that as well,” Blunt says. “Even
before this happened, nitrogen was up by 175%. Now it’s 200% higher than it was
a year ago.”

Blunt says that has had a real impact here, driving up
agricultural input costs, such as diesel prices.

“You take fuel prices and add to that fertilizer prices and then
have parts of the world that have been served by somebody else suddenly desperately
needing food and we’re truly trying it figure out what to do both in the United
States as we think about that and what to do right now in Ukraine to figure out
how to get the food out of there that’s currently there.”

KFEQ Agriculture Director Dionne Bertling contributed to this article. Cover image courtesy Pixabay.

By BRENT MARTIN <a href="https://stjosephpost.com">St. Joseph Post</a>ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has had wide-ranging impacts on
the world as a whole and now threatens global food security.Missouri U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt says the full impact of the war
on food supply is just now beginning to emerge.“There’s a growing awareness of how much impact this could
have, not just in Ukraine or in Europe, but in Africa,” Bond says in an
interview with KFEQ. “Ukraine and Russia combined produce about 25% of all the
wheat exports in the world.”Ukraine produces a large portion of the food stuffs for Europe
and Africa. In addition to wheat, Ukraine produces more than 20% of the world’s
corn. It produces nearly all the sunflower oil. Blunt says Europe and Africa
are facing possible food shortages due to the war in Ukraine. Blunt says Africa
relies on the raw grain coming out of Ukraine to produce its food.Russia’s war on Ukraine has kept Ukrainian farmers out of the
field and has blocked the export of crops in the grain bins. Also, farm
supplies on which the United States relies have been held up by the war.“So much of the fertilizer that comes out of Russia, and some
of it comes out of Ukraine, and we’re not seeing that as well,” Blunt says. “Even
before this happened, nitrogen was up by 175%. Now it’s 200% higher than it was
a year ago.”Blunt says that has had a real impact here, driving up
agricultural input costs, such as diesel prices.“You take fuel prices and add to that fertilizer prices and then
have parts of the world that have been served by somebody else suddenly desperately
needing food and we’re truly trying it figure out what to do both in the United
States as we think about that and what to do right now in Ukraine to figure out
how to get the food out of there that’s currently there.”KFEQ Agriculture Director Dionne Bertling contributed to this article. Cover image courtesy Pixabay.

Russia's war on Ukraine could cause global food shortage

TOPEKA –&nbsp;The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE)&nbsp; announced Monday the continuation of the free COVID-19 testing program for summer camps for the 2022 season. COVID-19 testing is a key strategy that summer camps can utilize to identify early cases and prevent transmission in the camp setting.

Summer camps can choose to use point-of-care (POC), Over-the-counter (OTC), or both test options to fit the camps' needs and resources best and make sure their campers and staff remain safe this summer.

Camps may choose to implement any of the following testing strategies. A specialist at KDHE will help camps plan the best strategies to fit their needs and to provide training on use of the tests, as needed.

Screening testing:&nbsp;Regularly test participants and staff even if they do not have symptoms of COVID-19.

Diagnostic testing (testing persons with symptoms):&nbsp;Offer diagnostic testing through POC tests to support participants and staff who become symptomatic during camp.

Free COVID-19 testing resources are available for all summer camps in Kansas. For more information, summer camps can contact Kim Boucher at (316) 243-8364 or via&nbsp;<a href="mailto:Kimberly.Boucher@ks.gov;%20Sarah.Allin@ks.gov" target="_blank">email</a>.

TOPEKA –&nbsp;The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE)&nbsp; announced Monday the continuation of the free COVID-19 testing program for summer camps for the 2022 season. COVID-19 testing is a key strategy that summer camps can utilize to identify early cases and prevent transmission in the camp setting.Summer camps can choose to use point-of-care (POC), Over-the-counter (OTC), or both test options to fit the camps' needs and resources best and make sure their campers and staff remain safe this summer.Camps may choose to implement any of the following testing strategies. A specialist at KDHE will help camps plan the best strategies to fit their needs and to provide training on use of the tests, as needed.Screening testing:&nbsp;Regularly test participants and staff even if they do not have symptoms of COVID-19.<ul>
 <li>Pre-arrival screening testing – provide two OTC self-tests to participants and staff to take 48 and 24 hours before camp begins.</li><li>Screening testing on arrival – test participants and staff on arrival at camp using POC tests.</li><li>Routine screening testing – test participants and staff every other day using POC tests or OTC tests at home for testing every other day.</li>
 </ul>Diagnostic testing (testing persons with symptoms):&nbsp;Offer diagnostic testing through POC tests to support participants and staff who become symptomatic during camp.Free COVID-19 testing resources are available for all summer camps in Kansas. For more information, summer camps can contact Kim Boucher at (316) 243-8364 or via&nbsp;<a href="mailto:Kimberly.Boucher@ks.gov;%20Sarah.Allin@ks.gov" target="_blank">email</a>.

KDHE: Free COVID-19 testing supplies for summer camps

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Democratic lawmakers in more than a dozen states are following California’s lead in seeking to offer legal refuge to displaced transgender youth and their families.

The coordinated effort being announced Tuesday by the LGBTQ Victory Institute and other advocates comes in response to recent actions taken in conservative states. In Texas, for example, Gov. Gregg Abbott has directed state agencies to consider placing transgender children in foster care, though a judge has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-greg-abbott-texas-child-abuse-bad82efbb182e59030eaf9c4ca7cd3f8">temporarily blocked</a>&nbsp;such investigations. And multiple states have approved measures prohibiting gender-affirming health care treatments for transgender youth.

To combat such moves, lawmakers in both Minnesota and New York recently filed refuge state legislation modeled after the bill proposed in March by state Sen. Scott Wiener in California. Democrats in 16 other states plan to follow suit, though about half of their legislatures are out of session or not currently accepting new bills.

Wiener said he immediately began hearing from other states after coming forward with his bill, which would reject any out-of-state court judgments removing children from their parents’ custody because they allowed gender-affirming health care. It also would make arrest warrants based on alleged violation of another state’s law against receiving such care the lowest priority for California law enforcement.

“We’re sick of just playing defense against what these red states are doing,” Wiener said in an interview Monday. “We’re going on offense, we’re going to protect LGBQT kids and their families and we’re going to build a rainbow wall to protect our community.”

Also joining the effort are LGBTQ lawmakers in Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and West Virginia.

Annise Parker, president and CEO of the Victory Institute, acknowledged that the legislation likely will fail in some states but said it was time to stand against the onslaught of bills targeting the LGBTQ community.

“This is our opportunity to drive the conversation and the debate, and to call on our allies proactively to step up instead of allowing ourselves to be targeted,” said Parker, who was the first openly LGBTQ mayor of a major American city when she led Houston for six years.

“We would love to see these bills in states where there are more progressive legislatures,” she said. “But we also think it’s important that trans kids and their families out there see and hear legislators from our community standing up and defending them.”

Wiener said it is despicable that any family would have to consider moving to a new state to protect a child, but if that happens, he hopes as many states as possible will welcome them.

“When your kid is being threatened with removal from your home, families are going to consider a lot of different options, and we just want to be clear that if you decide that’s the option for you, we’re going to do everything we can do to welcome you and protect you,” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596824087253.png" alt="Rep. Stephanie Byers, a Wichita Democrat and the first transgender state lawmaker elected in Kansas-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Stephanie Byers, a Wichita Democrat and the first transgender state lawmaker elected in Kansas-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — Democratic lawmakers in more than a dozen states are following California’s lead in seeking to offer legal refuge to displaced transgender youth and their families.The coordinated effort being announced Tuesday by the LGBTQ Victory Institute and other advocates comes in response to recent actions taken in conservative states. In Texas, for example, Gov. Gregg Abbott has directed state agencies to consider placing transgender children in foster care, though a judge has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-greg-abbott-texas-child-abuse-bad82efbb182e59030eaf9c4ca7cd3f8">temporarily blocked</a>&nbsp;such investigations. And multiple states have approved measures prohibiting gender-affirming health care treatments for transgender youth.To combat such moves, lawmakers in both Minnesota and New York recently filed refuge state legislation modeled after the bill proposed in March by state Sen. Scott Wiener in California. Democrats in 16 other states plan to follow suit, though about half of their legislatures are out of session or not currently accepting new bills.Wiener said he immediately began hearing from other states after coming forward with his bill, which would reject any out-of-state court judgments removing children from their parents’ custody because they allowed gender-affirming health care. It also would make arrest warrants based on alleged violation of another state’s law against receiving such care the lowest priority for California law enforcement.“We’re sick of just playing defense against what these red states are doing,” Wiener said in an interview Monday. “We’re going on offense, we’re going to protect LGBQT kids and their families and we’re going to build a rainbow wall to protect our community.”Also joining the effort are LGBTQ lawmakers in Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and West Virginia.Annise Parker, president and CEO of the Victory Institute, acknowledged that the legislation likely will fail in some states but said it was time to stand against the onslaught of bills targeting the LGBTQ community.“This is our opportunity to drive the conversation and the debate, and to call on our allies proactively to step up instead of allowing ourselves to be targeted,” said Parker, who was the first openly LGBTQ mayor of a major American city when she led Houston for six years.“We would love to see these bills in states where there are more progressive legislatures,” she said. “But we also think it’s important that trans kids and their families out there see and hear legislators from our community standing up and defending them.”Wiener said it is despicable that any family would have to consider moving to a new state to protect a child, but if that happens, he hopes as many states as possible will welcome them.“When your kid is being threatened with removal from your home, families are going to consider a lot of different options, and we just want to be clear that if you decide that’s the option for you, we’re going to do everything we can do to welcome you and protect you,” he said.

Lawmakers in Kan., 18 other states want legal refuge for trans youth

GRAY COUNTY – The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), the Gray County Sheriff’s Office, and the Office of the State Fire Marshal are conducting a death investigation in Cimarron, Kansas.

The Gray County Sheriff’s Office requested KBI assistance at approximately 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 5. KBI agents and the Crime Scene Response Team responded to investigate, according to a media release.

At approximately 11:50 a.m. on Thursday, a neighbor called 911 to report that a nearby trailer home was on fire. The Gray County Sheriff’s Office and Gray County Fire Department responded to 301 S. 4th St., Lot #2. Once the fire was extinguished they located a man’s body inside the trailer. The man was pronounced deceased at the scene.

He was later identified as Jose Ivan Pulido, 52, of Cimarron.

An autopsy was conducted on Monday, May 9. The preliminary autopsy results indicate Pulido died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

GRAY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities continue their investigation of a fatal fire at a home in Gray County.

According to the Gray County Sheriff’s Office, an adult was found deceased inside the residence. An autopsy is scheduled for Monday, according to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.

 The State Fire Marshal’s Office and Cimarron Fire and EMS are also assisting with the investigation.

Authorities released no additional details on the cause Monday morning.

GRAY COUNTY – The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), the Gray County Sheriff’s Office, and the Office of the State Fire Marshal are conducting a death investigation in Cimarron, Kansas.The Gray County Sheriff’s Office requested KBI assistance at approximately 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 5. KBI agents and the Crime Scene Response Team responded to investigate, according to a media release.At approximately 11:50 a.m. on Thursday, a neighbor called 911 to report that a nearby trailer home was on fire. The Gray County Sheriff’s Office and Gray County Fire Department responded to 301 S. 4th St., Lot #2. Once the fire was extinguished they located a man’s body inside the trailer. The man was pronounced deceased at the scene.He was later identified as Jose Ivan Pulido, 52, of Cimarron.An autopsy was conducted on Monday, May 9. The preliminary autopsy results indicate Pulido died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.-------------GRAY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities continue their investigation of a fatal fire at a home in Gray County.According to the Gray County Sheriff’s Office, an adult was found deceased inside the residence. An autopsy is scheduled for Monday, according to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. The State Fire Marshal’s Office and Cimarron Fire and EMS are also assisting with the investigation.Authorities released no additional details on the cause Monday morning.

KBI: Victim found after SW Kansas house fire identified

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A candidate for sheriff in eastern Nebraska was ticketed for speeding after an officer spotted him driving 107 mph along Interstate 80 while on his way to campaign at a Cinco de Mayo parade in Omaha.

A police report says George Merithew was wearing a Merithew for Douglas County sheriff shirt when he was ticketed.

Merithew's campaign acknowledged that he was speeding, but said he complied with the officer before he received a $300 ticket. The campaign said in a statement that Merithew "will now exercise the same rights every other citizen has to deal with the citation.

He faces Omaha Police Sgt. Aaron Hanson in Tuesday's Republican primary.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652111323968.png" alt="Merithew" />
 <figcaption>Merithew</figcaption>
 </figure>OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A candidate for sheriff in eastern Nebraska was ticketed for speeding after an officer spotted him driving 107 mph along Interstate 80 while on his way to campaign at a Cinco de Mayo parade in Omaha.A police report says George Merithew was wearing a Merithew for Douglas County sheriff shirt when he was ticketed.Merithew's campaign acknowledged that he was speeding, but said he complied with the officer before he received a $300 ticket. The campaign said in a statement that Merithew "will now exercise the same rights every other citizen has to deal with the citation.He faces Omaha Police Sgt. Aaron Hanson in Tuesday's Republican primary.

Neb. sheriff's candidate ticketed going 107 mph on way to parade

Maybe you saw those words on a
 company’s website or in a commercial promoting a product or treatment. 
Some marketers may say their products are “FDA approved.” But how can 
you know for sure what the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has 
approved?

The FDA is responsible for protecting public health by 
regulating human drugs and biological products, animal drugs, medical 
devices, tobacco products, food (including animal food), cosmetics, and 
electronic products that emit radiation.

But not all those 
products undergo premarket approval — that is, a review of safety, 
quality, and effectiveness by FDA experts and agency approval before a 
product can be sold to consumers. In some cases, the FDA’s enforcement 
efforts focus on products after they are already for sale. That is 
determined by Congress in establishing the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/fda-basics/what-does-fda-regulate">FDA’s authorities</a>.
 Even when FDA approval is not required before a product is sold, the 
agency has legal regulatory authority to act when safety issues arise.

Here is a guide to how the FDA regulates products for people — and what the agency does (and doesn’t) approve.

The
 FDA does not “approve” health care providers, including physician 
offices, or laboratories. The FDA does have authority to inspect 
regulated facilities to verify that they comply with current good 
manufacturing practices.

Although manufacturing facilities and 
contract manufacturers are often inspected as part of a product 
application for certain products that require premarket approval, the 
agency does not approve manufacturing facilities independently. The FDA 
does have authority to inspect regulated facilities to verify that they 
comply with applicable current good manufacturing practices and other 
requirements, including an adequately designed and controlled production
 process.

Unless an exemption applies, owners and operators of 
domestic or foreign food, drug, and most device facilities must register
 with the FDA before exporting products to the U.S. Owners and operators
 of establishments that manufacture blood products or cells, tissues, 
and cellular and tissue-based products must also register with the 
agency.

Mammography facilities must be FDA-certified and must 
display their FDA certificates where patients can see them. The 
certificate indicates that the facilities have met stringent standards 
for providing&nbsp;<a href="https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfMQSA/mqsa.cfm">quality mammography</a>.

The
 FDA does not have regulations specific to good manufacturing practices 
for cosmetics. Cosmetic companies are not required to register their 
products or facilities with the FDA but may do so voluntarily.

The FDA approves new human drugs and biological products.

New
 drugs and biological products for people must be FDA approved before 
they are marketed in interstate commerce. This means that a company must
 demonstrate that its drug or biological product is safe and effective 
for the intended use, and that it can manufacture the product to federal
 quality standards. If the FDA grants an approval, it means the agency 
has determined that the benefits of the product outweigh the risks for 
the intended use.

Some examples of biological products that 
require approval are therapeutic proteins, vaccines, allergenic 
products, cellular and gene therapies, and products manufactured from 
plasma. Manufacturers must also prove that they are able to make the 
drug or biological product according to federal quality standards.

The
 FDA does not develop products before approving them. Instead, FDA 
experts conduct a careful evaluation of the results of laboratory, 
animal, and human clinical testing done by manufacturers. The FDA does 
perform lot release testing of many biological products, which provides 
the agency with a real-time system to continuously monitor product 
quality, through review and testing.

The FDA doesn’t approve compounded drugs.

Compounding
 is generally a practice in which a pharmacist or a doctor combines 
ingredients to create medications that meet the needs of individual 
patients, including those who are allergic to ingredients in 
FDA-approved medicines or who cannot swallow an FDA-approved pill.

Be aware that compounded drugs are not FDA approved.

This
 means that the FDA does not conduct premarket review for compounded 
drugs to evaluate their safety, effectiveness, or quality.

The FDA uses a risk-based, tiered approach for regulating medical devices for people.

The
 FDA classifies devices according to risk and the level of regulatory 
controls needed to provide a reasonable assurance of the safety and 
effectiveness of the devices. The highest-risk devices (Class III), such
 as mechanical heart valves and implantable infusion pumps, generally 
require FDA approval of a premarket approval application before 
marketing. To receive FDA approval for these devices, manufacturers must
 demonstrate with sufficient, valid scientific evidence that there is a 
reasonable assurance that the devices are safe and effective for their 
intended uses.

Generally, the FDA “clears” moderate-risk medical 
devices (Class II) (for example dialysis equipment and many types of 
catheters) for marketing once it has been demonstrated that the device 
is substantially equivalent to a legally marketed predicate device that 
does not require premarket approval. Class II devices are generally 
subject to special controls, which may include specific testing or 
labeling requirements for that device.

Devices that are low risk 
of harm to the user (Class I) (for example non-powered breast pumps, 
elastic bandages, tongue depressors, and exam gloves) are subject to 
general controls only, and most are exempt from premarket notification 
requirements.

The FDA uses a risk-based approach for human cells and tissues.

All
 human cells and tissues intended for use in people — collectively 
referred to as human cells, tissues, and cellular and tissue-based 
products (HCT/Ps) — are regulated to prevent the transmission of 
infectious disease. Examples of HCT/Ps include bone, skin, corneas, 
ligaments, tendons, dura mater, heart valves, and reproductive tissue.

Those HCT/Ps that pose an additional risk because of their processing or use also require FDA approval before marketing.

The
 FDA does not regulate the transplantation of vascularized human organ 
transplants such as kidney, liver, heart, lung, or pancreas. The Health 
Resources Services Administration (HRSA) oversees the transplantation of
 vascularized human organs.

The FDA doesn’t approve tobacco products.

There’s
 no such thing as a safe tobacco product, so the FDA’s safe and 
effective standard for evaluating medical products does not apply to 
tobacco products. Instead, the FDA regulates tobacco products based on a
 public health standard that considers the product’s risks to the 
population, including users and nonusers of tobacco products.

To 
legally sell or distribute a new tobacco product in the U.S., 
manufacturers must receive authorization from the FDA. There are three 
pathways available to bring a new tobacco product to market:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/tobacco-products/market-and-distribute-tobacco-product/premarket-tobacco-product-applications">premarket tobacco product applications</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/tobacco-products/market-and-distribute-tobacco-product/substantial-equivalence">substantial equivalence applications</a>, or exemption from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/tobacco-products/market-and-distribute-tobacco-product/exemption-substantial-equivalence">substantial equivalence requests</a>.

A
 marketing authorization does not indicate that the tobacco product is 
either safe or “approved.” It means that the manufacturer has complied 
with the requirements under the law to bring its product to market.

The FDA approves food additives in food for people.

Although
 the FDA does not have premarket approval of food products, it has the 
authority to approve certain ingredients before they are used in food or
 intended to contact food. Those include food additives (substances 
added intentionally to food, as well as substances that migrate to food 
from food contact products such as food packaging), and color additives.

Companies
 that want to add new food additives to food are responsible for 
providing the FDA with information demonstrating that the additives are 
safe. FDA experts review the results of appropriate tests done by 
companies to ensure that the food additive is safe for its intended use.
 An approved food additive must be used in compliance with its approved 
uses, specifications, and restrictions.

Certain food ingredients, 
such as those that are considered “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) 
for their intended conditions of use by scientific experts, do not 
require premarket approval by the FDA. The FDA has a voluntary 
notification process under which a manufacturer may submit a conclusion 
that the use of an ingredient is GRAS.

The FDA approves color additives used in FDA-regulated products.

This
 includes those used in food (including animal food), dietary 
supplements, drugs, cosmetics, and some medical devices. These color 
additives (except coal-tar hair dyes) are subject by law to approval by 
the agency before market entry, and each must be used only in compliance
 with its approved uses, specifications, and restrictions.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600893091335.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FDA“FDA approved!”Maybe you saw those words on a
 company’s website or in a commercial promoting a product or treatment. 
Some marketers may say their products are “FDA approved.” But how can 
you know for sure what the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has 
approved?The FDA is responsible for protecting public health by 
regulating human drugs and biological products, animal drugs, medical 
devices, tobacco products, food (including animal food), cosmetics, and 
electronic products that emit radiation.But not all those 
products undergo premarket approval — that is, a review of safety, 
quality, and effectiveness by FDA experts and agency approval before a 
product can be sold to consumers. In some cases, the FDA’s enforcement 
efforts focus on products after they are already for sale. That is 
determined by Congress in establishing the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/fda-basics/what-does-fda-regulate">FDA’s authorities</a>.
 Even when FDA approval is not required before a product is sold, the 
agency has legal regulatory authority to act when safety issues arise.Here is a guide to how the FDA regulates products for people — and what the agency does (and doesn’t) approve.<h2>The FDA doesn’t approve facilities.</h2>The
 FDA does not “approve” health care providers, including physician 
offices, or laboratories. The FDA does have authority to inspect 
regulated facilities to verify that they comply with current good 
manufacturing practices.Although manufacturing facilities and 
contract manufacturers are often inspected as part of a product 
application for certain products that require premarket approval, the 
agency does not approve manufacturing facilities independently. The FDA 
does have authority to inspect regulated facilities to verify that they 
comply with applicable current good manufacturing practices and other 
requirements, including an adequately designed and controlled production
 process.Unless an exemption applies, owners and operators of 
domestic or foreign food, drug, and most device facilities must register
 with the FDA before exporting products to the U.S. Owners and operators
 of establishments that manufacture blood products or cells, tissues, 
and cellular and tissue-based products must also register with the 
agency.Mammography facilities must be FDA-certified and must 
display their FDA certificates where patients can see them. The 
certificate indicates that the facilities have met stringent standards 
for providing&nbsp;<a href="https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfMQSA/mqsa.cfm">quality mammography</a>.The
 FDA does not have regulations specific to good manufacturing practices 
for cosmetics. Cosmetic companies are not required to register their 
products or facilities with the FDA but may do so voluntarily.<h2>The FDA approves new human drugs and biological products.</h2>New
 drugs and biological products for people must be FDA approved before 
they are marketed in interstate commerce. This means that a company must
 demonstrate that its drug or biological product is safe and effective 
for the intended use, and that it can manufacture the product to federal
 quality standards. If the FDA grants an approval, it means the agency 
has determined that the benefits of the product outweigh the risks for 
the intended use.Some examples of biological products that 
require approval are therapeutic proteins, vaccines, allergenic 
products, cellular and gene therapies, and products manufactured from 
plasma. Manufacturers must also prove that they are able to make the 
drug or biological product according to federal quality standards.The
 FDA does not develop products before approving them. Instead, FDA 
experts conduct a careful evaluation of the results of laboratory, 
animal, and human clinical testing done by manufacturers. The FDA does 
perform lot release testing of many biological products, which provides 
the agency with a real-time system to continuously monitor product 
quality, through review and testing.For more information, see:<ol>
 <li>A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/national-drug-code-directory">directory</a>&nbsp;of approved and unapproved finished drugs on the market.</li><li>A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/vaccines-blood-biologics/complete-list-licensed-products-and-establishments">complete</a>&nbsp;list of licensed biological products.</li>
 </ol><h2>The FDA doesn’t approve compounded drugs.</h2>Compounding
 is generally a practice in which a pharmacist or a doctor combines 
ingredients to create medications that meet the needs of individual 
patients, including those who are allergic to ingredients in 
FDA-approved medicines or who cannot swallow an FDA-approved pill.Be aware that compounded drugs are not FDA approved.This
 means that the FDA does not conduct premarket review for compounded 
drugs to evaluate their safety, effectiveness, or quality.<h2>The FDA uses a risk-based, tiered approach for regulating medical devices for people.</h2>The
 FDA classifies devices according to risk and the level of regulatory 
controls needed to provide a reasonable assurance of the safety and 
effectiveness of the devices. The highest-risk devices (Class III), such
 as mechanical heart valves and implantable infusion pumps, generally 
require FDA approval of a premarket approval application before 
marketing. To receive FDA approval for these devices, manufacturers must
 demonstrate with sufficient, valid scientific evidence that there is a 
reasonable assurance that the devices are safe and effective for their 
intended uses.Generally, the FDA “clears” moderate-risk medical 
devices (Class II) (for example dialysis equipment and many types of 
catheters) for marketing once it has been demonstrated that the device 
is substantially equivalent to a legally marketed predicate device that 
does not require premarket approval. Class II devices are generally 
subject to special controls, which may include specific testing or 
labeling requirements for that device.Devices that are low risk 
of harm to the user (Class I) (for example non-powered breast pumps, 
elastic bandages, tongue depressors, and exam gloves) are subject to 
general controls only, and most are exempt from premarket notification 
requirements.<h2>The FDA uses a risk-based approach for human cells and tissues.</h2>All
 human cells and tissues intended for use in people — collectively 
referred to as human cells, tissues, and cellular and tissue-based 
products (HCT/Ps) — are regulated to prevent the transmission of 
infectious disease. Examples of HCT/Ps include bone, skin, corneas, 
ligaments, tendons, dura mater, heart valves, and reproductive tissue.Those HCT/Ps that pose an additional risk because of their processing or use also require FDA approval before marketing.The
 FDA does not regulate the transplantation of vascularized human organ 
transplants such as kidney, liver, heart, lung, or pancreas. The Health 
Resources Services Administration (HRSA) oversees the transplantation of
 vascularized human organs.<h2>The FDA doesn’t approve tobacco products.</h2>There’s
 no such thing as a safe tobacco product, so the FDA’s safe and 
effective standard for evaluating medical products does not apply to 
tobacco products. Instead, the FDA regulates tobacco products based on a
 public health standard that considers the product’s risks to the 
population, including users and nonusers of tobacco products.To 
legally sell or distribute a new tobacco product in the U.S., 
manufacturers must receive authorization from the FDA. There are three 
pathways available to bring a new tobacco product to market:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/tobacco-products/market-and-distribute-tobacco-product/premarket-tobacco-product-applications">premarket tobacco product applications</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/tobacco-products/market-and-distribute-tobacco-product/substantial-equivalence">substantial equivalence applications</a>, or exemption from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/tobacco-products/market-and-distribute-tobacco-product/exemption-substantial-equivalence">substantial equivalence requests</a>.A
 marketing authorization does not indicate that the tobacco product is 
either safe or “approved.” It means that the manufacturer has complied 
with the requirements under the law to bring its product to market.<h2>The FDA approves food additives in food for people.</h2>Although
 the FDA does not have premarket approval of food products, it has the 
authority to approve certain ingredients before they are used in food or
 intended to contact food. Those include food additives (substances 
added intentionally to food, as well as substances that migrate to food 
from food contact products such as food packaging), and color additives.Companies
 that want to add new food additives to food are responsible for 
providing the FDA with information demonstrating that the additives are 
safe. FDA experts review the results of appropriate tests done by 
companies to ensure that the food additive is safe for its intended use.
 An approved food additive must be used in compliance with its approved 
uses, specifications, and restrictions.Certain food ingredients, 
such as those that are considered “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) 
for their intended conditions of use by scientific experts, do not 
require premarket approval by the FDA. The FDA has a voluntary 
notification process under which a manufacturer may submit a conclusion 
that the use of an ingredient is GRAS.<h2>The FDA approves color additives used in FDA-regulated products.</h2>This
 includes those used in food (including animal food), dietary 
supplements, drugs, cosmetics, and some medical devices. These color 
additives (except coal-tar hair dyes) are subject by law to approval by 
the agency before market entry, and each must be used only in compliance
 with its approved uses, specifications, and restrictions.In the approval process, the FDA evaluates safety data to ensure that a color additive is safe for its intended purposes.<h2>The FDA does not approve cosmetics.</h2>Examples
 of cosmetics are perfumes, makeup, moisturizers, shampoos, hair dyes, 
face and body cleansers, and shaving preparations. Cosmetic products and
 ingredients, and their labeling, do not require FDA approval.There’s
 one exception: color additives (other than coal-tar hair dyes). 
Cosmetics must be safe for their intended use and properly labeled.<h2>The FDA doesn’t approve medical foods.</h2>A
 medical food is formulated to be consumed or administered enterally and
 intended for the specific dietary management of a disease or condition 
for which distinctive nutritional requirements, based on recognized 
scientific principles, are established by medical evaluation. An example
 of a disease or condition that a medical food could be used to manage 
is phenylketonuria, a genetic disorder. Someone with this disorder may 
need medical foods that are formulated to be free of the amino acid 
phenylalanine.A medical food is intended for use under the 
supervision of a physician. It doesn’t include products such as meal 
replacements or diet shakes, or products for the management of diseases,
 such as diabetes, that can be managed through modification of the 
normal diet alone.Medical foods do not undergo premarket approval
 by the FDA. Still, medical food companies must comply with other 
requirements, such as current good manufacturing practices and 
registration of food facilities. Medical foods do not have to include a 
Nutrition Facts label on their labels; however, any statements on their 
label or in other labeling must be truthful and not misleading.<h2>The FDA doesn’t approve infant formula.</h2>The
 FDA does not approve infant formulas before they can be marketed. But 
manufacturers of infant formula are subject to the FDA’s regulatory 
oversight.Manufacturers must ensure that their infant formula 
complies with federal nutrient requirements and other regulations. 
Manufacturers must register with the FDA and provide the agency with an 
infant formula submission before marketing a new formula.The FDA 
conducts yearly inspections of all facilities that manufacture infant 
formula and collects and analyzes product samples. The FDA also inspects
 new facilities. If the FDA determines that an adulterated or misbranded
 infant formula presents a risk to human health, the manufacturer of the
 formula must conduct a recall.<h2>The FDA doesn’t approve dietary supplements.</h2>The
 FDA is not authorized to approve dietary supplements for safety and 
effectiveness.&nbsp;In fact, many dietary supplements can be marketed without
 even notifying the FDA.But companies are required to submit a 
premarket safety notification to the FDA at least 75 days before 
marketing dietary supplements containing certain “new dietary 
ingredients” (that were not marketed in the U.S. before Oct. 15, 1994).Dietary
 supplement companies must ensure their products are safe before 
marketing and comply with other labeling and quality requirements, such 
as good manufacturing practices.The FDA inspects facilities for 
compliance and monitors adverse event reports. When public health 
concerns arise about the safety of a dietary supplement or an 
ingredient, the FDA has the authority to take action to protect the 
public.<h2>The FDA doesn’t approve the food label, including the Nutrition Facts label.</h2>The
 FDA does not approve individual food labels before food products can be
 marketed. But FDA regulations require specific labeling elements, 
including nutrition information, to appear on most foods, including 
dietary supplements. Also, any statements on food products must be 
truthful and not misleading – and must comply with any regulatory 
requirements for the type of statement, as applicable.Manufacturers
 must provide the serving size of the food and specified information 
about the nutrient content of each serving on the “Nutrition Facts” 
label (or on the “Supplement Facts” label for dietary supplements).<h2>The FDA doesn’t approve structure-function claims on dietary supplements and other foods.</h2>Structure-function
 claims describe the role of a food or food component (such as a 
nutrient) that is intended to affect the structure or function of the 
human body. One example is “calcium builds strong bones.”Dietary 
supplement companies that make structure-function claims on labels or in
 other labeling must submit a notification to the FDA. 
Structure-function claims on dietary supplements carry a disclaimer 
stating that the claim has not been evaluated by the FDA, and that the 
product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any 
disease.The FDA does not require conventional food manufacturers 
to notify the FDA about their structure-function claims or to carry a 
disclaimer. &nbsp;By law, all such claims must be truthful and not 
misleading.<h2>Misuse of the FDA’s logo may violate federal law.</h2>The
 FDA’s logo is for official government use only. The FDA’s logo should 
not be used to misrepresent the agency or to suggest that the FDA 
endorses any private organization, product, or service.These are just some of the many ways the FDA is responsible for protecting the public health.